Prevention and Remediation of Landslides

Many methods are used to remedy landslide problems. The best solution, of course, is to avoid landslide-prone areas altogether. Before purchasing land or an existing structure or building a new structure, the buyer should consult an engineering geologist or a geotechnical engineer to evaluate the potential for landslides and other geology-related problems.

Listed below are some common remedial methods used when landslide-prone slopes cannot be avoided. There is no guarantee that any one method or combination thereof will completely stabilize a moving hillside.

Improving surface and subsurface drainage: Because water is a main factor in landslides, improving surface and subsurface drainage at the site can increase the stability of a landslide-prone slope. Surface water should be diverted away from the landslide-prone region by channeling water in a lined drainage ditch or sewer pipe to the base of the slope. The water should be diverted in such a way as to avoid triggering a landslide adjacent to the site. Surface water should not be allowed to pond on the landslide-prone slope.

Ground water can be drained from the soil using trenches filled with gravel and perforated pipes or pumped water wells. Swimming pools, water lines, and sewers should be maintained to prevent leakage, and the watering of lawns and vegetation should be kept to a minimum. Clayey soils and shales have low hydraulic conductivity and can be difficult to drain.

Excavating the head: Removing the soil and rock at the head of the landslide decreases the driving pressure and can slow or stop a landslide. Additional soil and rock above the landslide will need to be removed to prevent a new landslide from forming upslope. Flattening the slope angle at the top of the hill can help stabilize landslide-prone slopes.

Buttressing the toe: If the toe of the landslide is at the base of the slope, fill can be placed over the toe and along the base of the slope. The fill increases the resisting forces along the failure surface in the toe area. This, in turn, blocks the material in the head from moving toward the toe. However, if the toe is higher on the slope, adding fill would overload the soil and rock below the toe, thus causing a landslide to form downslope of the fill.

Constructing piles and retaining walls: Piles are metal beams that are either driven into the soil or placed in drill holes. Properly placed piles should extend into a competent rock layer below the landslide. Wooden beams and telephone poles are not recommended for use as piles because they lack strength and can rot.

Because landslides can ooze through the gaps between the piles, retaining walls are often constructed. Retaining walls can be constructed by adding lagging (metal, concrete, or wooden beams) horizontally between the piles. Such walls can be further strengthened by adding tiebacks and buttressing beams (fig. 5). Tiebacks are long rods that attach to the piles and to a competent rock layer below the ground surface. Buttressing beams are placed at an angle downslope of the piles to prevent the piles from toppling or tilting. Retaining walls also are constructed of concrete, cinder blocks, rock, railroad ties, or logs, but these may not be strong enough to resist landslide movement and could topple.

Figure 5--Diagram of a retaining wall with tiebacks and buttress beams. Tiebacks are metal rods that extend from the piles to a competent rock layer below the ground surface. Buttress beams are metal beams that are inclined downslope from the piles that prevent the piles from toppling. Lagging consists of wooden, metal, or concrete beams placed upslope and between the piles to fill in the gaps.

Removal and replacement: Landslide-prone soil and rock can be removed and replaced with stronger materials, such as silty or sandy soils. Because weathering of shales can form landslide-prone soils, the removal and replacement procedure must include measures to prevent continued weathering of the remaining rock. Landslide material should never be pushed back up the slope. This will simply lead to continued motion of the landslide.

Preserving vegetation: Trees, grasses, and vegetation can minimize the amount of water infiltrating into the soil, slow the erosion caused by surface-water flow, and remove water from the soil. Although vegetation alone cannot prevent or stop a landslide, removal of vegetation from a landslide-prone slope may initiate a landslide.

Rock fall protection: Rock falls are contained by (1) ditches at the base of the rock exposure, (2) heavy-duty fences, and (3) concrete catch walls that slow errant boulders that have broken free from the rock outcrop. In some cases, loose blocks of rock are attached to bedrock with rock bolts, long metal rods that are anchored in competent bedrock and are threaded on the outside for large nuts. A metal plate with a center hole, like a very large washer, is placed over the end of the rod where it extends from the loose block, and the nut is then added and tightened. Once constructed, remedial measures must be inspected and maintained. Lack of maintenance can cause renewed landslide movement.